QUICK NEWS, 5-11: AFTER OIL SPILL, VOTERS WANT NEW ENERGY; CAL UTIL INKS BIG ROOFS FOR SUN; ND DEM ENDORSES CAP&DIVIDEND; GEOTHERMAL OUTPUT/INPUT UP

AFTER OIL SPILL, VOTERS WANT NEW ENERGY
Support for energy bill
Jopel Benenson, May 7, 2010 (Benenson Strategy Group)

"In the aftermath of the oil spill disaster, voters overwhelmingly support a comprehensive clean energy bill. As we’ve consistently seen in research over the years, voters understand the dangers of our dependence on oil. Now, they’re ready to hold Congress accountable.

"…When asked who they blame for our dependence on oil, voters are more likely to blame Washington politicians protecting special interests that fund their campaigns (33%) than big oil companies and lobbyists trying to protect their profits (27%). And just 12% blame corporations who aren’t doing enough to use clean energy and 10% blame environmentalists blocking sensible solutions."

A recent poll done by the wind industry showed similar findings. The nation wants New Energy. (click to enlarge)

"…[V]oters support a comprehensive clean energy bill by large double-digit margins…[and] indicate their Senator’s vote could be an impactful re-election factor…61% of 2010 voters support and just 31% oppose a bill ‘that will limit pollution,
invest in domestic energy sources and encourage companies to use and develop clean energy…by charging energy companies for carbon pollution in electricity or
fuels like oil.’ …54% would be more likely to re-elect their Senator if he or she voted for the bill…51% would be less likely to re-elect their Senator if he or she voted against the bill…"

The fastest way to New Energy is the Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) in the energy bill and voters want it. (click to enlarge)

"…While support has always been high for the energy bill, 39% of voters now say they are more likely to support it in the wake of the oil spill (14% say it makes them more likely to oppose the bill and 47% say it does not affect their view).

"…[B]y almost two-to-one, voters agree that now is the time for Senators to act while opposition messaging falls flat… 59% of voters agree that ‘Now is the time for Senators to take action. Oil companies and lobbyists have fought energy reform for decades to protect their profits. Our dependence on oil hurts our economy, helps our enemies and puts our security at risk. It’s time to put America back in control – with clean energy that’s made in America and works for America.’ … Just 31% agree that ‘Senators would be wrong to try to use this tragedy to pass a huge new Washington program and job-killing energy tax. Their plan will raise the price of gas right at the pump, hurt middle class families and stop oil drilling in America, which is a big part of the long-term solution to making us less dependent on foreign oil.’…"


CAL UTIL INKS BIG ROOFS FOR SUN
Southern California Edison -- ProLogis Agreement to Advance Grid Integration of Renewable Generation
May 10, 2010 (Business Wire via MarketWatch)

"Southern California Edison (SCE) and ProLogis…have reached agreement to place up to 40 percent of SCE's massive 250 megawatt solar panel project on ProLogis distribution warehouse roofs in the Inland Empire region of Southern California.

"The agreement will make available to the utility as much as 15 million-square-feet of roof space for the installation of more than a half-million advanced solar panels. Panel installation will begin this year on the first ProLogis roofs included in the agreement -- four structures in the Ontario Airport complex and a fifth in the Redlands Distribution Center…ProLogis will serve as construction manager for the installation of panels on the leased roofs…"

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"SCE's solar stations are connected directly to the utility's neighborhood grid sending the solar power to all customers. This aspect of the project is expected to lead to significant smart grid enhancements to SCE's neighborhood distribution circuitry, advances the utility plans to share with the utility industry…

"The ProLogis rooftops… are grouped in several communities. Connecting multiple large panel arrays to local distribution circuits will require design changes in grid engineering."

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"U.S. distribution circuits were designed to carry power from neighborhood substations to customers using one-way voltage stability controls placed at key points along the route. Connecting a large solar generating station to the middle of such circuits means engineers must redesign the circuitry to enable features such as power flowing from the solar sites in both directions…SCE is collaborating with the industry to develop new circuit designs and smart grid technologies…

"[The] SCE Solar Project…will help California meet its million solar roofs goal at a fraction of the cost of typical photovoltaic installations and without drawing funds from the California Solar Initiative…[It] hopefully will reduce the cost of solar energy for all customers…The project will provide new generation sources to areas where customer demand is expected to rise…[and it] will create as many as 1,200 new green jobs in Southern California in the solar industry. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers…is supporting the plan through the expansion of its solar installation apprentice training program…"


ND DEM ENDORSES CAP&DIVIDEND
Delegation looks for energy diversity
Rebecca Beitsch, May 1, 2010 (Bismarck Tribune)

"Diversity is THE word for the energy future of North Dakota and America…With a push to decrease America’s dependence on foreign oil, traditional and renewable energy sources will be part of the picture, even if we don’t use them the same way…

"…[T]he major growth in industry could be in renewables. Although North Dakota produces about 1,200 megawatts of wind energy, projects now in their infancy will later bring that number to more than 7,000 megawatts. Ethanol and biomass production have yet to meet their potential, either…"

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"But for all its potential, North Dakota’s energy industries might be held back by a lack of ways to transmit its product…[T]he challenge of connecting various sources of electricity to interstate transmission lines could make for a real road block both for coal and renewable sources…In-state lines can be built with less hassle, but getting energy to bordering states will require a lot of work legislatively — troublesome news for a state that can produce more energy than it can use.

"…[According to Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D] cap and trade as we now know it is essentially dead…But a measure to stifle carbon emissions is likely…He favors a plan using a cap and dividend, capping carbon but returning money to taxpayers to help offset the higher costs of energy to the consumer."

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"Dorgan said he’s hopeful that new technology will find a way to make carbon a product rather than a problem…Other regulations that could hurt coal may come from the EPA, which has decided to back off the idea of regulating greenhouse gases, giving Congress time to act."

[Senator Dorgan:] “There are very few people that I know that want the EPA to act unilaterally…”


GEOTHERMAL OUTPUT/INPUT UP
Nevada Geothermal Power Inc. -- Record Power Production at Faulkner 1 and Financing Update
May 10, 2010 (Business Wire via MarketWatch)

"[The] Nevada Geothermal Power Inc…Blue Mountain, Faulkner 1 Geothermal Plant…has been operating continuously since its restart on March 5th. For the period of April 1st to 30th, with cable repairs completed, output averaged approximately 37 MW (net) and plant availability was greater than 98%. Gross revenue generated for the month was approximately US$2.0 million.

"The plant has achieved record electric power production over the past week, with peak outputs exceeding 53MW (gross) and with 41MW (net), enough power to supply 40,000 homes, being delivered to the grid. The increased production was enabled by operational adjustments at the plant."

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"Construction work (pump installation, pipeline construction, and power line) is underway to connect production well 44-14 which is expected to raise potential plant output by a further 5-7 MW.

"Following completion of the wellfield work in mid-June, NGP will be in a position to apply for a further ITC/cash grant to recover approximately $7M in costs."

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"…Work continues in earnest by the Company, its lender John Hancock, and the Department of Energy (DOE) on a senior debt financing of up to US$98M under the DOE's Commercial Technology Loan Guarantee Program.

"…The Company is [also] preparing for production drilling in 2010, final feasibility studies in 2011, and for plant completion by the end of 2013 for the Pumpernickel and Crump Geyser Development Projects to position them for ITC/Cash Grants. At Pumpernickel, prerequisite technical surveys have been completed and three production/injection wells are sited and fully permitted. At Crump Geyser, an aeromagnetic survey has recently been flown…Permit applications have been filed…[and] well permits are expected shortly."